


The Los Demonios Police Chief

by phantomofthehoepera



Series: The Ongoing Case Of Ricky Goldsworth [7]
Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: 1930s, Detectives, F/F, Gen, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-17 13:21:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21055082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomofthehoepera/pseuds/phantomofthehoepera
Summary: With Jones acting against them, the gang find themselves in a tight spot. Of course, there's always help to find if you know where to look.





	The Los Demonios Police Chief

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to read but are unsure abt the archive warning, feel free to message me on @mothman-noises on tumblr! I'll gladly answer any questions about specific triggers!

The waters just outside Los Demonios laid stil as a mirror, as black as the night sky above them. If you were to stand on the docks in the city, leaving its lights behind you, the mass of constant darkness, stretching on for as far as your eye could reach, might have seemed to be the only thing in this world. In that assumption you’d be wrong, however, as the seemingly never ending ink-like sea was little more than a trick of the eye, and as a small boat laid anchored not far from shore. It might have been more visible had its lights been lit, but they hadn’t and thus the boat was impossible to see unless you were looking for it. Which was sort of the point. 

C.C. Tinsley, formerly a detective of Old York’s police department, presently not likely to be welcomed back should his actions the previous few weeks be brought into light. And presently, sitting on the deck of the previously mentioned boat, wrapping a blanket around himself to protect from the cold. He was surrounded by friends, which was nice, and not very common when you’re on the run from the law. Or it could be, really. Tinsley wouldn’t know. Whatever the specifics were, they were all huddled together, and had been gathered as such for a while now. 

”So to summarize” Francesca was leading the little meeting ”What we need to do is gather evidence connecting Jones to Fear since Night Night trusts us about as far as he can throw us, and the best way to do that would be…” 

”Well as a professional in gathering evidence” Tinsley considered for a moment ”Definitely breaking in. It’s not risk-free, but it’s direct. We don’t know how much time we have and following Jones around could cost us months before we find anything” 

”Right” Francesca nodded ”And if Fear is still at the hospital then that gives us an opening” 

”Do you think you can make sure he’s still there?” 

”Easily” Francesca said ”Then that gives us a step one, step two being to find a good time to get into Jones’, I presume” 

”You know him best, Fran” Ricky cut in ”What are his habits?” 

  
”He spends a lot of time at the station, so it shouldn’t be very hard to find a good time” She tapped her finger against the deck ”Though we should consider he might be on high alert right now. Can’t be too careful” 

Wether she was referring to Jones or themselves with that statement, she was absolutely right, and the same went for Fear Manor, really. Even if Fear himself wasn’t around there was no telling what he’d left behind to look after the house. He voiced his concerns and was met with agreement, the group finally deciding that they had to wait to set anything in stone. 

”I’ll check the hospital tonight” Francesca stood up and went to knock on the cabin door then, when Banjo opened, told him to make for town. Not long after, the boat started up with a cough and began moving through the water, not directly for Los Demonios, but towards the darker edges of it. 

Tinsley stood leaned against the railing for the trip, observing the ripples of the water below them. The closer they got to town, the clearer they became as they started to reflect the vibrant colors of the various still open establishments in the center of Los Demonios. Sparing the town a glance, Tinsley briefly wondered if there was any chance of him going back to Black Bear Alley to fetch some of his research, but quickly realized that would be far too risky and ultimately quite unnecessary. This really was not the time for that particular case, but he’d gotten into a bit of a habit, he presumed. 

After a few minutes, the boat reached a small, muddy beach at the east ends of Los Demonios. A wooden dock which looked like it had been all but thrown in place led from the water up to steadier grounds, where a boathouse stood. Banjo was the first to step onto the dock, and since it appeared to be surprisingly steady the group quickly followed suite. The limited width of the dock forced them to walk in a single file line until they finally reached the house, where they stood as a group for a moment, waiting for Banjo to unlock. 

He quickly did, and opened the door to reveal a surprisingly comfortable-looking space. Despite the muddy outdoors and the boathouse’s worn-down appearance, the inside of it was clean and once Banjo lit a few lanterns, the warm light made it look almost cozy. There were two beds and a couch standing by the walls, and in the middle of it all a round table with a set of mismatched chairs. 

”I’ve stayed here before” Banjo explained as he made for a chest by the couch ”It’s a good base of operations for Los Demonios business” 

”Thank you” Tinsley threw his coat over the back of one of the chairs and made a motion to help Banjo out, but was stopped by Ricky, who with a glare and a nudge ordered him to sit down. Quietly thankful for the chance to rest, Tinsley did as Ricky had told him to and pulled out one of the chairs, sitting down with a soft grunt of pain. His lungs were still complaining, it seemed, despite it having been some time since he got out of the water. Massaging his chest, he watched Banjo get covers and pillows out of the chest, then hand them out to the group. 

”Alright” Francesca finished setting one of the beds and straightened her back ”I’m heading into town. I’ll try to find out what the situation is with Fear” 

”You sure that’s a good idea?” Ricky asked, voicing the concerns of pretty much everyone present. Francesca seemed unbothered, however.

”I’ll stay out of sight” She waved her hand dismissively ”Easy to do at this hour. Besides, Jones probably isn’t back yet so I have a few more hours of being dead to spend” 

”Alright” Tinsley finally agreed. It did sound reasonable, and he trusted Francesca. Ricky looked a little less pleased with the situation, but that could just be the vaguely threatening way his face naturally looked when he relaxed. Whatever the case, he didn’t do anything to stop Francesca as she put on her coat, kissed Joan goodbye and left. 

Once she was gone, Banjo excused himself, saying he was more comfortable sleeping on his boat, which Tinsley didn’t doubt for a moment. Not long after, Ricky and Joan left too, intending to get some food for the group. Wether the food in question would be bought or otherwise acquired, they didn’t specify, but Tinsley couldn’t find it in himself to care at the moment. 

He stretched, feeling that his limbs were being much more compliant now and as such decided to get up and explore the little house. Or well, what little there was to explore which didn’t come down to much more than the chest Banjo had been getting blankets from- which turned out to just contain more blankets- and a stack of books in one corner. Tinsley looked through it, but didn’t find any of the titles particularly interesting. They were mainly biographies of celebrities he’d heard the names of but never learned any more about, and the occasional romantic novel. He was just about ready to settle for a book about someone named Jonathan Harker, when a folded piece of paper in between two books caught his attention. Carefully, he pulled it out and to his delight he found that it was a map of the city. A bit dated, perhaps, but good enough. 

By now he knew the adressess by heart, and he quickly marked the axe murder sites on the map with an old pencil he managed to find. He didn’t have any of the notes he’d made at Black Bear Alley, but he could still do some thinking without them. Was there anything special about the adressess? He tried putting the first letters of all the streets together, but they didn’t form any words he recognized, no matter how he arranged them. The buildings’ numbers didn’t lead anywhere either, or at least it didn’t look like they would by the time Joan and Ricky came back with the food. Tinsley muttered them a greeting, but didn’t take his eyes off the map until Ricky stuck a newspaper under his nose. 

”Thought you might be interested” He said with a shrug, then moved on to unpack with Joan. Tinsley was already opening the paper and as he read the headline his eyes widened. There had been another murder just that night, and after quickly skimming through the article he could mark the adress of it on the map. Then, after some brief thinking, he put his pencil down again and connected the dots, now forming a perfect circle. 

Was that it then? He wouldn’t know until he met Legs, of course, but he could always wonder. And so he did, staying at the table with the map while Joan and Ricky got to bed and well past the point where Ricky started snoring. He tried the letters again, with the newest street name, but still couldn’t figure anything out and _god _was it starting to get on his nerves…

Tinsley blinked, and looked up. It felt like the room had gotten brighter in an instant, and for a second he was perplexed by the development. Then, he heard a seagull from outside and realized that he must have fallen asleep for a moment. With a yawn, he tried to get back to his work, but found that he couldn’t keep his eyes open for long. He tried to force himself but it was no use and soon he drifted off completely. 

He dreamt that he was walking, but couldn’t tell where. It was pitch black around him, so all he had to go off was what he felt. The grass under his bare feet- slightly damp as if it had just rained- and the air around him, which felt heavy, like fog. Tinsley tried to breathe it in, but found that he didn’t have to so he didn’t try again. He kept walking towards…something. It was something he heard, or rather something that he for whatever reason _knew _that he was hearing, even if he couldn’t. Like a low, low vibration so close to forming an actual noise if only he could just- 

_”Tinman!” _Tinsley jerked awake, head snapping to his left to see Ricky. His friend had a blanket wrapped around himself and Tinsley wondered why for a moment, until a gust of wind hit him and he realized that they were standing outside. Rubbing his upper arms in an attempt to warm up, he looked down to where he was standing, just barely in the water. Small waves were lapping against the tips of his shoes, and he took a quick step back. 

”Must have sleepwalked” He turned back to Ricky ”Did I wake you up?” 

”It’s no big deal” Ricky shrugged, stepping back with Tinsley. He was frowning slightly. Perhaps he was worried, in which case that would be nice of him. Tinsley tried to smile reassuringly, hoping to ease his friend’s mind, and was about to say something when he suddenly heard something. He turned to the water again, listening intently. 

”What’s going on?” Ricky tapped his shoulder ”Hey, Tinman” 

Tinsley shushed him, without taking his eyes off the water. The sound was melodic, almost like a song and he could _swear _he recognized it from somewhere. 

”Do you hear that sound?” He finally asked. Ricky was silent for a moment, listening for it most likely. 

”Don’t think so” He said after a while, sounding a little confused ”What is it?” 

”I don’t know” Tinsley frowned. He tried to focus on the noise again in the hopes of remembering where he’d heard it, only to find that it had faded. With a sigh he turned his back to the water, looking up at the boathouse. 

”Has Francesca come back?” He asked and Ricky nodded. 

”Couple of hours ago. She went right to sleep, though, so I’ve no idea what she managed to find” 

”I guess we’ll find out in the morning” 

”It is morning” 

”Really?” Tinsley yawned ”Think there’s still time to get some sleep?” 

”I wouldn’t bet on it” As if on cue, a few rays of sun caught the waves, making the lake glitter. Ricky nodded meaningfully towards the rising sun, and Tinsley sighed. For a moment, he looked around and finally set his sights on the dock, strolling over to it and sitting down. As Ricky joined him he rubbed his eyes and yawned again. 

”I’ve been meaning to talk to you, by the way” He said once the yawn had passed ”How are you feeling about this…whole thing?” 

”What?” 

”You know, trying to work with Night Night” It wasn’t as if Tinsley had expected much of a reaction from his friend, but Ricky’s simple shrug was kind of a let down. 

”I know you guys aren’t on the best of terms-” He continued, but was cut off by Ricky snorting. 

”You can say that again” He smirked and Tinsley rolled his eyes. 

”I’m serious” He said ”I don’t know how big of a deal this is to you, but I can’t imagine it’s all good. I just wanna say thank you for bringing it up in the first place” 

Ricky looked like he was about to say something for a moment, but in the end he just shrugged again and looked away with a muttered ”Whatever”. Tinsley decided he’d probably said enough, and opted to keep watching the sunrise for a while. Now and then he’d cast a glance at Ricky, who kept stubbornly looking away for the entire time. 

”Oh!” The silence was broken by Banjo, who stepped out of the boat ”You two are up early” 

”Suppose so” Tinsley smiled and got up, heading to greet their host. Ricky followed soon after and the three of them walked together up to the house. 

Joan and Francesca were just getting up, and got ready while Tinsley made the group some tea. They all gathered around the table, drinking while Francesca went over what she’d found during the night. 

”Fear’s still at the hospital” She started by saying ”He’s in a coma, from what I could gather, and they’re not sure when he’ll wake up. If ever” 

”Jones sounded pretty confident” Tinsley cut in ”You think he has something planned?” 

”He might have” Francesca nodded ”So my suggestion is we act fast” 

”Agreed” It seemed like Ricky enjoyed the prospect, a smirk spreading over his face ”I say we make our move tonight, then. No use waiting around” 

”Exactly. There’s a bit of an issue, though” Francesca reached into her pocket and pulled out a map. She started moving teacups aside to spread the map out, while continuing to talk. 

”Ponder this: we break into Fear manor tonight and rummage around for evidence. I think it’s safe to assume anyone who comes there will notice, and right now we don’t know where Abraham is. We do know that he’s loyal enough to Fear to risk his life, and we know that Fear and Jones work together. Ergo, if Abraham finds evidence connecting Jones and Fear missing, where do you think he’ll go?” 

”Straight to Jones” Tinsley realized what Francesca was getting at and cursed mentally ”And Jones is expecting us to come after him, so if we go to his place he’ll go to Abraham and be able to tell him exactly who he has to be aware of. In any case, we’ll end up with one of them a lot harder to get to” 

”So what do we do?” Ricky frowned ”Move fast? Get them both in one night?” 

”It’s our only chance, I’m afraid. But there’s a problem with that. Here’s where Fear lives…” Francesca finished opening the map and pointed to Stoker’s Street, then moved her finger way across the city to Dutchman’s Row as she finished her sentence ”…And here’s Jones’ place. Do you see the problem?” 

”It’s too long” Tinsley sighed ”Even if we could get from one place to the other in one night, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to get back here while it’s still dark. Unless…” 

He went silent as the solution hit him and glanced at Francesca. She looked about as thrilled with the option as he was. 

”We’ll have to split up” She confirmed ”It’s the only way we can pull it off in one night” 

”Damn” Joan sighed ”Well, I suppose it’s best if you go to Jones’, Francesca. You know him best” 

”Alright, then you come with me, and Tinsley and Ricky you go to Fear’s” Tinsley nodded at the order, seeing Ricky do the same. Joan, however, looked hesitant. 

”I’m not sure that’s the best way” She carefully said, cutting herself off by nervously biting her bottom lip. 

”What do you mean?” Francesca looked puzzled. 

”Well…” Joan drew the word out ”I just figure, if those vampires are still there, perhaps it’s best I go to Fear’s. As much as I don’t like it, I think I’m the best equipped for fighting them if it becomes necessary” 

Francesca didn’t say anything, just looked at Joan for a moment. She seemed to go through an array of emotions in just a matter of seconds, before finally clearing her throat. 

”Are you sure?” She finally asked, her voice soft. Joan nodded. 

”I’ll be fine. I promise” 

The way the two looked at each other almost made Tinsley shudder. He was surprised he hadn’t noticed what was going on sooner, really, because now he felt as though he could reach out and touch the unsaid words between the two women. In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to break the silence and that job had to go to Ricky. 

”So it’s decided then?” He raised and eyebrow and Joan nodded again. 

”It is” She looked between Tinsley and Ricky ”Now, how do we do with you two?” 

They discussed for a while, weighing pros and cons with each alternative, and in the end decided that Ricky was to go with Francesca, the argument being that if the two of them had to hide, Ricky was the most used to doing that in more public spaces. Tinsley got a long lecture about how they were to get out of Fear Manor at the first sight of vampires from Francesca, which he fully intended to follow. The rest of the day was spent napping, planning and in Tinsley’s case, trying to convince himself that the vampires definitely wouldn’t be out and about. 

An hour before sunset, he and Joan left the boathouse, beginning their long walk to Stoker’s Street. They’d mapped out a route that’d keep them as far from the town center as possible, but it did involve sneaking through a lot of different fields. Tinsley had counted three wheat fields, two corn fields and one pumpkin patch before they finally reached their destination, once again standing outside the fence of the now dark Fear Manor. 

”Looks like no one’s home” Tinsley pushed the fence gate open, wincing at the creak ”Or at least not awake” 

”Let’s hope so” Joan walked past him up to the front door and tried it to no avail. She sighed and jokingly said they should have brought Ricky with them. Tinsley nodded with a smirk. 

”We’ll crack this open somehow” He put a hand on the door ”We should at least try to be discreet, though” 

”Agreed” Joan sighed ”Think you could try picking the lock?”

”Not if you wanna be here all night” Tinsley had made some attempts at learning to pick locks, but had never managed to get a grasp of the technique. In the end he’d just given up and decided to hope he never had to do it. Evidently, that hadn’t been much of a plan. 

Tinsley examined the door, looking for anything they could use, while Joan took a lap around the house to look for windows. They could try breaking one, if nothing else worked out, but another, less noisy solution would be preferable just in case there was someone inside. Crouching down, Tinsley tried to peer in through the keyhole, but didn’t manage to see anything. Nor could anything be heard from inside, and he stood up, stretching his back just as Joan came back. 

”The windows are quite high up” She reported ”You might be able to reach, but I don’t know about myself” 

”I could unlock from the inside” Tinsley glared at the door, still going through alternative ways to get in. Was there anything Joan could do? Tinsley tried to think back on what she’d been able to do since she became a vampire, and what ms Doroftei had done when he’d met her. 

”Joan” An idea finally struck him ”Did you ever manage to transform into that…” He gestured vaguely, trying to find a good word, but ultimately failing. It seemed like Joan got it, though. 

”Mist, yes” She filled in ”I did try it and it might work. Or at least, it’s worth a shot” 

With a shrug she stepped up to the door and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Tinsley looked on, fascinated, as it seemed the more Joan relaxed, the more she started to change, growing almost blurry at the edges. Soon, her face was the only clear thing about her and with a final breath, it too was erased, disappearing into a light fog. For a moment, she just hovered, hanging still in the air, but she soon started moving and to Tinsley’s delight managed to slip through the keyhole. 

”Good job!” He exclaimed, stepping back to give the door room to open. Joan didn’t respond, but Tinsley figured she might not have heard and remained where he was. It wasn’t until nearly a full minute had passed and the door still wasn’t open that he started to worry, and carefully knocked on the door, calling Joan’s name. 

Still no response. He knocked again, harder this time, and tried the handle but the door was still locked. 

”Joan!” Something hit the door and he raised his voice, throwing himself against the door as hard as he could. It didn’t do anything, besides make his arm ache but he tried again nonetheless. 

Then, just as he hit the door again, came Joan’s voice. 

”I’m okay!” She sounded shaken, but not hurt at least and Tinsley sighed in relief, silently thanking whatever higher power looked after vampires. Soon, he heard the door unlock and Joan opened it, smiling at him. 

”See, completely fine” She patted his shoulder ”Should we head upstairs?” 

Tinsley nodded, not sure what to say. There wasn’t a hint of the shaken tone she’d had earlier, and it threw Tinsley for a bit of a loop. Perhaps he’d misheard? He shrugged the feeling off as the two started to move, deciding to focus on the corridor around them. It looked much the same as they’d left it- impeccable, save for a few marks in the walls. It was hard to tell if they’d been caused by claws or knives, but Tinsley was fairly certain they’d happened during their fight with the vampires. Figuring it was best to double-check, he turned to Joan, only to find that she’d fallen behind. She stood still, just a few steps from the door, her hands clenched by her sides. 

”Everything alright?” He turned around and started walking back. Joan sounded like she was trying to say something, but was cut off by her own breathing. At first Tinsley didn’t realize what was going on. It had been some time since he last saw this happen, after all, but just as he reached Joan it hit him. 

”Joan” He kept his voice steady, not too worried ”Joan, you have to breathe. Can you try to breathe?” 

She tried to say something again, but could only manage a gasp and Tinsley carefully reached out, keeping his hand a few centimeters from her shoulder. 

”Is it okay if I touch you?” He asked, waiting until she nodded until doing so. Once she did, he carefully put one hand on her shoulder and took a hold of her wrist with the other, guiding her to sit down. She leaned against the wall, still hyperventilating as Tinsley sat down next to her and started softly stroking her arm. 

”Hey, you’re okay. You’re fine” The list of what to do started going by in his mind almost automatically, and he quickly thanked the part of his brain that had decided to save that information ”Joan. Joan, can you close your eyes?” 

She did, still breathing shakily. 

”Alright try listing three things you can smell” She gasped something and he quickly added ”You don’t have to say it out loud. Just think about it, alright” 

He kept stroking her arm, giving her time to breathe before he spoke again. 

”You done?” She nodded ”Alright, then try coming up with three things you can hear. And remember to breathe” 

Joan’s breathing was starting to get a little less erratic and Tinsley felt himself relax. Certain that she was calm enough he quickly looked out in the corridor, checking if anyone was around. It was as still and quiet as when they’d arrived, though, so he soon turned his attention back to Joan who now was relaxed enough to talk. 

”I’m sorry” She cleared her throat ”I’m sorry that was- I don’t know what just happened” 

”I can’t say for sure” Tinsley kept his hand on her shoulder ”But I think you were having a panic attack. Did anything happen?” 

”I-” Joan tensed and Tinsley quickly went back to rubbing her shoulder ”I got in and I was supposed to open the door, but when I tried I just couldn’t- I couldn’t turn back, oh it was-” 

She was cut off by a gasp, but managed to get her breathing under control before Tinsley even had to say anything. After a moment of silence she continued talking. 

”I couldn’t go _back, _Tinsley. I just couldn’t, no matter how hard I tried” She paused, and when she continued her voice was quiet ”I- This whole thing is just so hard to understand, and I don’t know what I’m going to do” 

She looked up at Tinsley, tears in the corners of her eyes and he suddenly felt himself having to fight back tears of his own. 

”I…I don’t know either. I can’t give you any advice because none of this makes any god damn sense, but I’m here for you. If you need me” He put an arm over her shoulder and she hugged him back, none of the two saying anything for a long while. Tinsley closed his eyes and reached up to stroke her hair, not stopping until a clock rang somewhere in the house. 

”We should get going” Joan pulled back and stood up, brushing some dust off the back of her dress. Tinsley joined her and the two started walking through the corridor towards the staircase. Once they reached it, Tinsley spied down, but couldn’t see any movement down in the basement. Assured that the coast was clear, the two of them stepped onto the staircase and started making their way upward. 

”I hope you don’t mind me asking” Joan said as they reached the third floor ”But how did you know what was going on back then?” 

”I don’t mind at all” Tinsley shrugged ”And it’s nothing really, just my dad used to get attacks a lot” 

Tinsley still didn’t know why they’d started, having been far too young at the time. He just barely remembered his father coming home after a week of railroad work, not saying anything but noticeably…different. As young as he’d been, Tinsley had still noticed it, and even if he hadn’t he would have realized something was wrong when the first attack came that same night. And that had been that. 

”It’s nothing to worry about” He quickly added, realizing that Joan was looking at him funny. For a moment it seemed like she’d say something more, but before she got to it they reached the door to Fear’s office and the conversation was promptly dropped. 

The door was locked, but the key still sat in the lock, ruining the point of locking the door in the first place. With just a few moments of afterthought, Tinsley opened it and looked into the dark room. Figuring that if his and Joan’s conversations hadn’t woken anyone up, then the risk of a light turning on doing the trick really wasn’t that high, he proceeded to do just that, lighting up the room which upon closer inspection seemed to be the only one anyone had used since he and his friends had been there. Medical supplies and a few binders he remembered seeing in a cabinet were strewn out on the stretcher and a strange, chemical smell hung in the air. At first, Tinsley couldn’t quite place it, but when he turned to Joan and found her covering her nose he realized that it was the same liquid he’d used to test her back when. A mix of some chemical and blood, if he wasn’t mistaken. 

”You okay?” He asked and she nodded, frowning slightly. 

”Just gotta get used to the smell” 

”Take your time” Tinsley made for the binders, opening the first one. He skimmed through it, but it seemed to be- perhaps not surprisingly for a doctor’s office- mainly medical records. Without bothering to close it, he moved on to the next, finding that it was filled with words in a language he didn’t understand. He did, however, understand the numbers written down along with the words, since the dollar signs after them really didn’t leave much doubt as to what they were. _Could be something, _he figured and brought the binder back to Joan, who was still in the doorway. 

”What do you think about it?” He held the binder up to her, opened to he first spread. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a few dates, while Joan was reading. Whatever dealing had happened had happened a few years back, it seemed. 

”Let’s see, _nacht, geduld _I think it’s german. Unless…” She snapped her fingers, pointing to another word ”_Bot. _That’s dutch” 

”What does it mean?” Tinsley tried to remember if he’d ever known any dutch, but was fairly certain he definitely hadn’t. 

”_Nacht, bot- _Night and Leg” She turned to Tinsley ”Friends of ours” 

”Well, Legs did send us here in the first place” He must still trust Fear somewhat, then, Tinsley reasoned ”What does it say more recently? Anything about Jones?” 

Joan flipped through the pages for a while, muttering to herself in dutch and Tinsley decided he was probably most useful silent. Waiting for Joan to come to some conclusion, he scanned the room, trying to see if he could see anything missing. In the end, however, there were just far too many small bottles and odd jars for anything to stick out and Tinsley had to give up. 

”Can’t find anything about Jones” Joan finally said, after a few more minutes of reading ”But a few of the names here might be codenames, so I can’t say for sure” 

”Maybe Francesca knows something?” 

”I was just about to suggest that” Joan smiled, seemingly almost subconsciously ”Anything else we should look for before we leave?” 

Tinsley cast a quick glance at the clock hanging over the office desk. It was just past eleven, so they would’t have to leave for at least an hour and they hastily decided to investigate the rest of the rooms on the top floor as well. 

They stepped out into the corridor again and made for the next room, opposite the office. Maneuvering past the bloodstain, still on the floor where Ricky had stabbed Fear, they reached the door, found it unlocked and stepped inside what Tinsley remembered he’d guessed was Abraham’s bedroom. All signs of life were gone, however, including the suit that had been left over the back of the room’s only chair. Tinsley turned to Joan, about to say something, when a noise from downstairs caught his attention and he froze. 

Joan too stood still, her eyes wide as the noise died out and it dawned on them both what it had been. Namely, the front door being unlocked. 

Before Tinsley even had time to think of something to do, he heard footsteps approaching, and soon reaching the staircase, quickly leaving him with only one idea- to quickly close the door as much as he could while still being able to peek out. As he spied out into the corridor, Joan joined him by the door, silent as a mouse. Tinsley would have loved to say something about how they’d be fine, but he was too busy trying to figure out _how _exactly that was supposed to happen, while constantly being distracted by the fact that he’d forgotten to turn the lights off in the office. 

That, however, did give him an idea. One which he didn’t have much time to think about since the footsteps had now reached the third floor, and a shadowy figure came into view as it stepped into the office. 

Not giving himself the time to wonder who the figure was, Tinsley just opened the bedroom door the second they stepped into the office. The noise of it made the figure turn around and he just barely had the time to register Abraham’s shocked face as he crossed the corridor in just two steps and threw the office door shut. Having realized what he was doing, Joan quickly hurried after, turning the lock before Abraham could even try to force the door open. She and Tinsley didn’t stay to listen to what he was screaming at them. 

The night outside had a nicely soothing effect on Tinsley’s adrenaline-fueled, hasty breathing and he drew the cold air in in deep gulps. He and Joan had gotten far enough from Fear Manor for them to feel safe enough to stop, and now they stood at the edge of one of the wheat fields, trying to calm their nerves. Joan still had the stolen binder clutched tightly to her chest. She looked at Tinsley, her eyes as wide as his own probably were. For a moment none of them said anything. 

Then, before he could surpress it, Tinsley snorted and Joan immediately did the same, sending them both into a fit of hysterical giggling. Perhaps it was the stress of the entire evening, but Tinsley found himself unable to stop no matter how hard he tried. Joan looked like she was having similar issues, covering her mouth and trying to avoid eye contact. The moment they locked eyes again, however, they both broke down once more and this time even louder. 

Eventually, they did manage to control themselves enough to start walking, but for a long portion of the walk they could barely look at each other without bursting into giggles again. They crossed the various fields again, and finally reached the boathouse, a lot earlier than expected. Then again, Abraham hadn’t been part of the plan. 

Banjo was still up, and must have seen them coming, because he had tea ready by the time they got inside the house. He complained slightly about how the water here was weird, but then started asking about how things had gone for Tinsley and Joan, upon which Joan began a detailed and dramatic retelling, only leaving out the part about her attack, which really, was completely fair. She was still telling the tale, having just reached the point where she and Tinsley had ran panicked down the stairs and almost tripped over themselves, when Ricky and Francesca showed up, carrying a bag they hadn’t had when they’d left.

”Any luck?” Ricky slumped down in the chair next to Tinsley and reached for the binder, which Joan had put on the table. 

”Maybe” Tinsley got up and stood behind Ricky, opening the binder over his shoulder to point out where the payments connected to Night Night and Legs had happened, then letting Joan explain what the deal was with the rest of the records to Ricky and Francesca. 

”I know some code names, yes” Francesca confirmed ”What did you find?” 

”Well there’s…” Joan reached for the binder and flipped through the pages ”We have reoccurring payments to _Gelukkige- _that’s ”Lucky”-, _Broer Jon- _which would be ”Brother Jon” and _Stille J. _That means ”Silent J”” 

”Silent J?” Francesca’s face lit up ”I know that name. Jones went undercover with it a few times way back” 

”These are bank records, right?” Ricky reached for the bag and started rummaging through it, spreading paper over the table. 

”Not official, I believe, but essentially” Tinsley nodded, just as Ricky stuck a document under his nose.

”These are Jones’. See if any of the sums add up” He didn’t wait for a response before getting back to digging through the papers some more. While he did, Tinsley and Joan did as Ricky had said, soon finding a few sums from someone Jones had just written down as ”Friend”. When Ricky handed them more of Jones’ financial records, they too contained a few matches and after less than an hour of work they had a- in Tinsley opinion- pretty decent case file. 

”I’ll contact Night Night and Legs” Francesca’s eyes almost sparkled as she looked at their findings one last time before leaving the table and heading outside, asking for Banjo to come with her. The last thing Tinsley heard before they shut the door behind them was Banjo proudly proclaiming that his radio was in perfect condition, so he could only assume that was how they’d get in touch with the group’s potential new allies. 

Francesca and Banjo were gone for about fifteen minutes, before returning with bad news. 

”They won’t respond” Francesca explained as she sat down at the table again ”So we have two options. Either we wait, or we pop over to see them in person” 

”If I know Night Night he’s avoiding us on purpose” Ricky shrugged ”So I say we just go for it” 

”No time like the present” Joan agreed, and Tinsley nodded along. Thus, the issue was quickly settled and the group began making preparations, which mainly consisted of stuffing their evidence into the newly stolen bag. Not long after, they were ready to leave and said goodbye to Banjo who decided he’d stay behind and guard the house. 

They left for the office just as the sun started to rise, earlier than any self respecting person who wasn’t a milkman or a crime lord would be up. The streets of Los Demonios were more peaceful than Tinsley had ever seen them, and the group managed to dodge any curious glances from the few milkmen and/or crime lords that were strolling the city. Soon, they reached Little Griffin Street, finding the front door locked, which of course wasn’t a problem for Ricky who made quick work of the lock and let the group in with a fancy gesture. 

The four of them took the stairs up to the top floor, where they considered staying in the waiting room for a moment. They did ultimately decide that waiting in the actual office would be more fun, and so let Ricky pick yet another lock, letting themselves into the room. Inside, they quickly made themselves comfortable, Ricky playing with a knife he found lying around, Joan inspecting a stack of magazines and Tinsley and Francesca arguing the morality of stealing from mob bosses after finding a radio they both agreed would be really nice to have. 

In hindsight, they probably should have been on higher alert, but they’d had a very long night. Thus, they didn’t notice Night Night and Legs entering the building until suddenly, there were a matching pair of guns pointed at the four intruders. Tinsley and Francesca stopped talking, leaving the room in complete silence for a few moments. 

”What” Night Night finally hissed ”The _fuck _are you doing here?” 

Tinsley somehow got the impression that the question wasn’t entirely directed at all of them, especially since Night Night- unlike Legs, who moved his weapon across the room- kept a firm aim on Ricky. 

”Relax, big bro” Ricky lowered the knife, which did little to ease Night Night’s mind ”We’re just here to talk about some associates of yours. So if you could calm down for two seconds-” 

”_Calm? _I’ll show you-” 

”I thought I told you to get out of this town?” Legs interrupted, but Tinsley didn’t get the feeling it had been to diffuse the situation. Rather, like he wanted to lecture Tinsley before Night Night shot them all. 

”I know, I know” Tinsley raised his hands slightly ”But we had some issues with one J.J. Jones. That’s what we’re here to talk about” 

Night Night seemed to calm down at that, or focus, at least. He narrowed his eyes at Tinsley and it looked like his trigger finger relaxed slightly. 

”Go on” He ordered and Tinsley cleared his throat, then started to tell the story of what Jones had been up to, and his dealings with Fear. 

”I understand if you don’t trust us but-” 

”You’re damn right I don’t” Night Night snorted. 

”Let him finish, _Antonio_” Ricky had barely pronounced the name before a shot rang through the room. Eyes wide with shock, Tinsley turned to look at Ricky, seeing a smoldering bullet hole in the carpet, right between his feet. Ricky didn’t look bothered by it at all. 

”Call me that again and I’ll aim higher” Night Night’s voice was surprisingly calm ”Now, what were you saying, detective?” 

”Well” Tinsley swallowed ”As I was saying, I understand that you don’t trust us but we have some evidence. Take a look” 

Without lowering his hands, he nudged the bag towards Night Night with his foot, realizing that making too much movement might get him shot. Night Night, at first, looked like he wasn’t going to accept the bag, but after a moment of consideration reached out and picked it up, still with his gun aimed at Ricky. 

”What is all this?” He said, as he flipped through the pages. Joan cleared her throat. 

”Bank records” She explained ”The ones in english are Jones’, the others are Fear’s. If you look through them you’ll see that Fear’s been paying someone called Silent J” 

She paused, and Tinsley watched Night Night and Legs expressions change as they recognized the name. For a moment they looked at each other, with expressions Tinsley couldn’t quite read. 

”Jones has the same sums in his papers. It adds up” Francesca added. At first, she didn’t seem to get a reaction, but after a while Legs lowered his gun. Night Night followed a moment later, with a last glare at Ricky. Without a word, he handed Legs the papers and the demon read through them, a frown deepening on his face the longer he read. 

”Jones has always been a loose canon hasn’t he?” He finally muttered to Night Night ”I think this is legit” 

”Oh please” Night Night rolled his eyes ”We can’t be sure just from this” 

”I know, I’m just saying it’s worth looking into” Legs flipped through the papers again ”_Stille J_ is Jones, right?” 

”Silent J, yes” Joan nodded. Legs mumbled something uninterpretable and continued reading, now and then showing Night Night something. Tinsley remained silent, along with his friends, watching the two carefully and trying to discern what they were thinking. It became quite obvious, however, when Night Night unceremoniously dropped the stack of papers he was holding on the floor. 

”I don’t buy it” He announced, his tone nonchalant ”Get out of my office” 

Tinsley felt his stomach sink. He opened his mouth, but couldn’t find any words. It seemed, Legs was surprised as well, because he turned to Night Night with an eyebrow raised. 

”_Our _office” He remarked ”And we should at least-” 

”No we shouldn’t” Night Night interrupted him ”It’s flimsy. They’re obviously just trying to trick us” 

”Night Night…” Before he could continue, Legs was cut off once again, this time by Ricky. 

”No you know what” He started walking forward, ignoring the fact that Night Night immediately raised his gun again ”Fuck this. I don’t give a shit about how you feel about me, but this is way beyond that. This could fuck both you and your friend up permanently, and you’re gonna ignore it just because you think it’s _my _fault what happened to you?” 

As he reached Night Night he paused, and stopped walking just centimeters before the gun would have pressed against his chest. Night Night didn’t say a word, nor did his expression betray any of his emotions. Tinsley could guess, though. 

”Well, guess what, I have some news for you” Ricky continued ”It wasn’t my fault, I didn’t even know it happened until a week ago. But if you wanna continue your little pity party, then fine. We’ll leave” 

Without another word he turned around and nodded to Tinsley and the others. For a moment Tinsley didn’t know what to do, and he cast a glance at Joan and Francesca respectively. In the end, though, they all started walking, and eventually joined Ricky at the door. Ricky gave Night Night a final glare, then the four of them stepped outside and made for the stairs without looking back. 

That was, until the office door shut and Legs called out. 

”Wait!” He yelled, and Tinsley turned around to see him come hurrying down the hallway ”Wait, we’re going to talk about it. He just needs to come to his senses” 

”And you can achieve that?” Tinsley raised an eyebrow as Legs caught up to them. 

”Better than anyone just…” Legs sighed ”Just give me some time. I’m gonna see what I can do” 

Tinsley hesitated, and turned back to his friends. After exchanging a few glances with all three of them, Joan seemingly the most happy about the situation while Francesca looked as confused as himself and Ricky looked entirely uninterested in the whole conversation, he finally cleared his throat and faced Legs. 

”We’ll wait here, then” He proclaimed, and- to illustrate his point- sat down on the velvet couch. Legs looked like he was about to object for a second, but then just scrunched his nose and said something Tinsley hadn’t in any way expected. 

”You smell funny, did you know that?” 

Before Tinsley had the chance to say anything to that, Legs had left the waiting room and shut the office door. Moments later, loud voices started coming from the room, but it was impossible to make out anything they were saying. Ricky, Joan and Francesca joined Tinsley on the couch while the argument in the office went on, and Tinsley tried to figure out what in the world Legs had meant. Perhaps he still smelled like swamp water? 

Tinsley didn’t know when he’d fallen asleep. In fact, he didn’t realize that he had until Ricky shook him awake, making a slight gesture towards the now open office door. Rubbing his eyes, Tinsley got off the couch and tried to remember a dream he was sure he’d had, while he followed Ricky into the room where Francesca and Joan were already waiting. Night Night and Legs were both sat at the desk, looking surprisingly casual. 

”Sorry for the wait” Legs opened and Tinsley suddenly realized he had no idea how long he’d been sleeping for. 

”We had to make some calls. Check how things are looking” Night Night filled in while the group sat down in chairs facing the desk ”And well…” 

He trailed off, but Legs happily finished for him. 

”We’ve decided to help you” He smiled at the group ”Even if Jones isn’t planning something with Fear, he’s definitely getting too cocky. Better to put him in his place before he does something drastic” 

”’His place’ being six feet under, I presume?” Ricky asked and Legs’ smile widened. 

”Where else?” 

That answer seemed to satisfy Ricky, because he returned the smile and leaned back in his chair. Tinsley, on the other hand, was a little more hesitant towards the plan. Most of all, he remembered what Francesca had said about killing Jones. 

”Isn’t that too risky of a move?” He hated to be the one to ruin the mood, but he felt that his concerns had to be voiced. 

”For you amateurs maybe” Night Night smirked ”But we know how to go about this. It’s nothing we haven’t at least planned out before” 

”What I believe Night Night is trying to say” Legs shot in ”Is that you don’t have to worry. As long as we replace him fast with one of our guys the investigation should be easy to run, and it’ll send a message to anyone thinking of joining up with Fear. It’s waterproof” 

Tinsley turned to Francesca, and she nodded. 

”I agree” She said ”And I can’t say I’ve ever been opposed to the idea of burying the hatchet in Jones, in theory” 

”Great, so let’s do that, then” Ricky looked to Joan ”Joan, what do you say?” 

”As long as I don’t have to do it” She furrowed her brows ”I don’t, do I?” 

”Absolutely not” Legs shook his head ”I can take care of that bit” 

Ricky seemed a little less enthusiastic about the whole plan after that, but didn’t comment on it. He just rolled his eyes at Tinsley and mimed something that looked an awful lot like ”He thinks he’s hot shit”, which Tinsley declined to respond to. He opted instead to listen to Night Night explain the outlines of a plan he and Legs had apparently been discussing while Tinsley was sleeping. 

”It’s simple, we lure him out get him to some abandoned house and Legs here does what he does best” Night Night folded his hands across the table ”Now that does of course mean we’ll need someone to act as bait” 

”I’ll do it” Francesca immediately said, and Joan’s protest came not a moment after she’d finished. 

”Absolutely not” She shook her head ”It’s too dangerous” 

”However we decide to do it-” Legs cut in before Francesca could argue ”-we can decide later. There’s a lot more we have to discuss as well. Like where we’re taking him, for example. Anyone got any suggestions?” 

When no one said anything, Legs reached into one of the desk drawers and produced a map which he spread across the desk. On it, he pointed out an adress that Tinsley immediately recognized. He decided not to mention that, however, and instead listened to Legs explain his reasoning. 

”Watchtower Boulevard 18. It’s an old warehouse that no one uses nowadays” He looked between the others present ”What do you think?” 

”As good a place as any, right?” Ricky shrugged ”Don’t see why not” 

Legs kept silent for a while longer, but when no one voiced any objections he grabbed a pen and circled the building. Tinsley stared at it as he did, almost scared he’d burn a hole in the map. Of course, he didn’t and Legs didn’t seem to notice his staring. He just moved on to the next point on the agenda he apparently had prepared in his head. 

”I’d like to ask, Joan” He smiled at her ”Would you mind lending us some assistance? I’m sure your new powers could come in handy” 

Joan’s lips tightened at that, and she didn’t immediately respond. The reaction didn’t go lost on Legs, who looked slightly startled at her reaction. 

”I would prefer to avoid it if I can” Joan finally said ”I’m sorry” 

Legs now looked entirely puzzled and seemed unsure of what to say. What he finally settled for was: 

”Any specific reason?” 

”I just don’t feel like I can…” Joan paused for a moment, perhaps looking for the right word ”…control them, properly. I don’t want to hurt myself, or anyone close by, by accident” 

For a second it looked like Legs would protest, but in the end he just shrugged and commented that that was fair, he supposed. The discussion then went on, once again returning to who was to be the bait and at one point getting quite heated. In the end, though, they managed to come to an agreement which didn’t involve too much compromising from any part. Once that was settled, Legs suggested they all get some more rest, saying that he had some stuff to see to. 

”There’s a lounge downstairs” He gestured to the staircase ”If I’m not mistaken there should be some snacks and plenty of reading there. Joan, you remember the way, right?” 

”I do” She nodded ”I’ll show you guys, come on” 

They started to move, while Legs went back into the office and Night Night disappeared somewhere. Tinsley was weighing his options. Perhaps now wasn’t the time? But then again, one never knew what would happen if he didn’t ask. 

”You three go on ahead” He stopped as they reached the stairs ”I gotta go talk to Legs about something” 

While his friends started taking the stairs, Tinsley turned around and made his way back through the corridor. He knocked on the office door, and after just a few seconds, Legs opened and let him in. The demon crossed the room with a few steps, and leaned casually against the desk, while Tinsley remained on the opposite end, close to the door. 

”So” Legs began ”What’s on your mind, pal?” 

”I want to ask about this plan of yours” Tinsley resisted the urge to cross his arms over his chest ”I recognize the building you picked. It’s the center of the circle you’ve been making” 

”Good thinking” Legs smiled ”I’m honestly impressed you caught that. Spent a lot of time with the case, have you?”

”That’s beside the point” Tinsley scoffed ”I wanna know what you’re up to with that whole…thing. And what the consequences will be for those of us who happen to be close by” 

Legs was silent for a moment, leaving the room with only the ticking clock on the wall to fill it with noise. 

”’Us’ being you and your friends I presume?” He finally said ”Well you needn’t worry about that. It’s not gonna endanger anyone in, or outside of the circle” 

”So what’s it gonna do?” Tinsley was starting to get tired of all this cryptic business ”Because I assume Jones is the big finale, being at the center and I don’t wanna be surprised if something nasty happens” 

”I already told you, you don’t have to worry” Legs straightened up from his relaxed position, looking like he too was starting to get a tad annoyed. Tinsley didn’t let that get to him, however. 

”Yeah, well I think I’d feel a lot more secure if you could just tell me what’s going to happen” He tried to give Legs a glare, despite finding it hard to meet the demon’s gaze. Perhaps that was part of the whole demon deal, but whatever the case it meant Tinsley could only keep his eyes on Legs for a few seconds. He felt that that sent a clear enough message, though, and Legs seemed to get it because he sighed, while starting to softly drum his fingers against the desk.

”I want to tell you” He said ”But I can’t. And I really am sorry about that, but please just trust what I’ve told you” 

Now that didn’t entail much, did it? Tinsley narrowed his eyes and tried to focus on Legs’ demeanor. It didn’t _feel _like he was lying, but the problem was that he was just barely saying enough for there to be anything he could lie about. Tinsley thought over his alternatives. Would questioning Legs any further even get him anywhere? And if what Legs said was true, was there even a point to trying to find out what he was planning? God, Tinsley was close to pulling his hair, but that certainly wouldn’t look any good. 

”Fine” He finally responded ”I won’t push it any further” 

Without waiting for a response, he turned around and left the room, thoughts churning in his head all the way down the stairs. As he reached the lounge he only took a few moments to absentmindedly greet his friends and take in the furnishing, a few red armchairs, a table of dark wood and variety of bookshelves, before making for said bookshelves and starting to look through them. There were mostly novels, he soon realized, but after a few minutes of searching he did manage to find a book titled _Ghoul Pals- Your Ticket To The Other Side._ Not entirely sure if that title was promising or not, but figuring that it was the best he’d be able to find, he sat down in one of the chairs and began reading, hoping to if not find anything useful, at least distract himself for a couple of hours. 

As the sky started to turn a soft orange, Tinsley and Ricky were out again, standing in a shadowy alley with a good view of the police station. None of them said a word, just watched the scattered people on the little plaza in front of the building go about their days, waiting for their signal. Until now, it had all been quiet, the only people on the plaza seemingly on their ways home after work, but a quick glance at his watch informed Tinsley that it would be time soon. 

’Soon’ being- in fact- not five minutes later, when Joan peeked out from behind a building. After looking around for a moment, she stepped out, followed by Francesca and they hurriedly crossed the plaza, dodging the people in their way expertly. In barely a minute they’d disappeared behind a corner and were out of sight, but it was still more than enough for someone inside the station to notice them. Not moments after they’d left Tinsley’s field of vision, a group of three policemen led by Jones left the station and Tinsley and Ricky nodded to each other. There was their cue. 

Just short of jogging, the two left the alley and began pursuing the policemen, with Ricky taking the lead. Joan and Francesca criss-crossed through the city, taking corners frequently, which of course meant that everyone following had to do the same. For the first few minutes it didn’t do any difference, but when one of the policemen fell behind at a corner, Ricky struck. He lunged forward, and wrapped an arm around the man’s neck, then kept it firmly in place despite his struggling until the policeman’s body went slack. While Ricky threw him to the side, Tinsley hurried ahead, keeping the two remaining police in sight and Ricky soon caught up to him. Not long after they did, the second policeman fell behind and Ricky gave him the same treatment as his colleague, leaving him next to a dumpster. 

Jones continued on as if he hadn’t noticed, but Tinsley couldn’t imagine that that was the case. Not losing his focus, he kept up the pursuit as the shadows around him grew longer and longer. Now and then he’d catch a glimpse of Joan and Francesca walking quickly at a, so far, safe distance from Jones. For some time, nothing noteworthy happened, until Jones rounded a final corner, with Ricky and Tinsley not far behind. The two of them quickened their pace slightly so as to not lose Jones, and soon turned to the same alley he’d taken. 

There, they came face to face with Jones, aiming his gun at them. 

”Not another step, fellas” He himself drew closer to Tinsley and Ricky with a satisfied smile on his face ”Did you think I wouldn’t notice you were trying to bait me?” 

Neither Ricky nor Tinsley said a word, just raised their hands slowly. Jones nodded approvingly. 

”That’s very good. Smart thinking of you” He said ”Now, it’s time for you two to answer me some questions. Can you do that?” 

Tinsley stubbornly shut up, which evidently wasn’t what Jones wanted because the policeman narrowed his eyes at him and when he spoke his voice was harsher. 

”Where were they leading me?” He asked. Ricky just shook his head, a smirk on his face. Tinsley remained silent too, and tried to ignore that his arms were starting to cramp. 

”You know” Jones snarled ”When I shoot you two I’m not gonna aim for your heads, or your lungs or whatever. I’ll start with your kneecaps. Make sure you can’t move. And we’ll work our way from there” 

At that moment, Ricky let out a snort, while Tinsley had to bite back a smile. 

”I’m sorry” Ricky giggled ”That was just _so _bad. And besides, you still haven’t noticed” 

”Noticed what?” Jones glared at Ricky. 

”_We’re _the bait, you idiot” 

Jones’ eyes widened and he spun around, while Tinsley and Ricky jumped to the sides to get out of his gun’s range. They wouldn’t have had to worry, though, because Jones was immediately struck across the face with an iron pipe by Francesca, and Tinsley could finally stop pretending he wasn’t seeing her and Joan. He gave the two a thumbs up, as Jones dropped unconscious to the ground. 

”Great job!” He jogged over, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a length of rope. Joan shot him a triumphant grin as she flipped Jones on his stomach and grabbed his arms, holding them together behind is back while Tinsley tied the rope around them. 

”We’re close, right?” He asked and Joan nodded. 

”It’s just around the corner” 

”Right, then let’s go” Ricky reached the gathering and grabbed onto Jones’ shoulders. Francesca took his legs, and the two of them hauled him up and started carrying him off, with Joan and Tinsley walking beside them, keeping their eyes out for anyone who might notice them. Fortunately, the streets in this part of town were pretty much empty, save for a few people sleeping on doorsteps, who didn’t pay the group any mind. They would have seen worse, Tinsley presumed. 

As Joan had said, the warehouse came into view the moment they rounded the corner. An old brick building with more than a few boarded up or smashed windows. Tinsley didn’t get the time to count, but it looked like it was nearly five stories high. A chainlink fence surrounded it, but it was cutopen in a few places, allowing for easy access if one just crouched, which was exactly what the group did, coming out on the small yard on the other side. Tinsley looked around for a bit, then finally found an open door and pointed it out to his friends. They made for it, finding a lobby only lit up by whatever evening light managed to slip through the holes in the walls. 

”About time you showed up” Legs stepped out from behind a wall ”I was getting worried” 

He was holding an axe, Tinsley noticed almost immediately. It was rusty, and its handle darkened with age, so he could only assume it had been lying around the building. Legs must have noticed him looking at it, because he thew it in the air and caught it again, in what was admittedly an impressive stunt. Then again, Legs was used to axes, Tinsley thought with a shiver. 

”Let’s just get on with it” Night Night joined them in the lobby as Ricky and Francesca dropped Jones on the floor. He nudged the unconscious man with his foot, then looked back to Legs. 

”Wake him up, will you?” 

”You got it” Legs walked closer and crouched down next to Jones. For a moment, Tinsley thought he might do some sort of magic trick, but then he pulled a small bottle of water out of his back pocket and poured ot over Jones. It got the intended reaction, with Jones coughing and slowly opening his eyes. At first, he didn’t seem to be able to focus, but after a while of just looking around his eyes settled on Legs and widened in shock. 

”Hiya!” Legs smiled at him and Jones immediately began struggling against his ropes, to no avail. 

”What’s going on?” His voice was panicked, despite his best efforts to hide it. 

”We just wanted to have a little chat” Night Night joined Legs by his side ”You know, catch up on what’s been happening recently” 

”I didn’t do anything!” 

”Hey, don’t be like that” Night Night smiled sweetly ”It’s okay to tell us. We’re just curious about how you’ve been. That’s all” 

”Please-” Jones’ voice was cut off by a sob and he had to start over ”Please, just let me go” 

”Hm” Night Night put a finger to his chin ”What do you say about that, Legs?” 

”I can’t say I’m for it” Legs shook his head, and it struck Tinsley that their routine reminded him of how he’d seen them act on stage at the casino, way back. 

”See” Night Night gestured to Legs ”But how about this? I’ll ask you yes and no questions. What do you say to that?” 

Jones didn’t say anything to that, just shut his eyes and choked back another sob. 

”To begin with” Night Night didn’t seem to mind the lack of response ”You’ve been getting paid off by Fear. Yes or no?” 

”No!” Jones wailed, fighting desperately against the ropes. He tried to stand up, but Legs easily kicked him off balance again and he fell to the floor, landing on his shoulder. 

”Wrong answer” Legs tutted ”Let’s try that again?” 

”Please…” Jones shifted so that he could look up at Night Night and Legs ”Please, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. We haven’t done anything yet” 

”_Yet?_” Night Night’s eyes narrowed ”But there is a plan then? Yes or no?” 

Jones was silent for a moment, then nodded. 

”Sorry, what was that?” Legs asked ”Yes or no?” 

”Yes” Jones voice was hoarse ”Yes. And I can tell you what, if you just let me go. I promise, I’ll tell you everything” 

For a moment, no one said anything. Tinsley could feel his heartbeats way up in his throat, and he wanted to leave, more than anything. But somehow, at the same time he couldn’t. He simply couldn’t tear his eyes off Legs and Night Night as they exchanged glanced that he suspected were mainly for show, in the same way it’s impossible to keep from looking at a horrible, horrible accident. 

”What do you say, Legs?” Night Night finally broke the silence. Legs just smiled, and rolled up his right sleeve with his free hand while Night Night stepped back. 

”You lot might wanna look away for this” He nodded to Tinsley and the others as Jones let out a final shriek, unlike anything Tinsley had ever heard. 

Then, he was silenced as Legs buried the axe deep in his head and Tinsley could _finally _force himself to look away, at least from Jones. He still kept his eyes on Legs, while fighting back the urge to throw up. Legs stepped back and dropped the axe to the ground with a loud clatter, then reached into his pocket. Tinsley caught a flash of metal reflecting the room’s limited light and- realizing what was about to happen- braced himself. 

”Night Night” Legs suddenly called out and Night Night turned to him. 

”What?” 

”I’m sorry about this” Legs smiled sheepishly, then drew the knife across his palm. A few drops of blood spilled out across his hand and dripped down his fingers, falling to the floor. 

And then Legs was just…gone. There came no noise, no smoke, no smell of sulfur. One second he was standing there with them. The next, the only remaining trace of him was the knife falling to the floor and landing next to Jones. 

The night outside the warehouse was pleasantly warm, with summer coming upon the city of Los Demonios. A few stars were visible, despite the overwhelming light of the city and Tinsley found himself looking up at them while he, his friends and Night Night stepped out of the building. Once they were all outside, they stayed still for a while, no one saying a word. Tinsley wasn’t sure what the other’s reasons were, but he himself was still in the process of trying to process what had just happened inside, and trying to figure out what in the world had happened to Legs. They’d waited for him for nearly an hour, but after he still didn’t reappear Night Night had been the one to finally announce that they should give up, for now. He’d said he didn’t know where Legs had gone either, and Tinsley had believed him. 

”Right” Night Night broke the silence ”I want to talk about our next course of action” 

”Alright” Ricky nodded ”That’d be Fear, I hope. Because I’ll gladly help-” 

”We’ll get to Fear eventually” Night Night cut him off ”But before that we need to do a few other things. Take back control of the police, to begin with. So, here’s my proposal” 

He turned to Tinsley and extended a hand. 

”Detective Tinsley. How would you like to work for me again?” 

**Author's Note:**

> yeet one chapter and one epilogue left how are we feeling lads? share your fun and funky predictions in the comments if you like uwu


End file.
